New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Duerior’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Duerior’, characterized by its large dark orange-colored flowers; freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above the foliage; upright, mounded, and freely branching plant habit; and dark green leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Duerior.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop New Guinea Impatiens cultivars with large flowers and interesting flower and foliage colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as D8, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent, with the Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as D0/39, not patented, as the female, or seed parent. The cultivar Duerior was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the male parent, the selection D8, in foliage color. Plants of the new Impatiens are larger, more freely branching and have a more uniform plant habit compared to plants of the selection D0/39.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Rheinberg, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duerior’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duerior’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Large dark orange-colored flowers.

2. Freely flowering habit.

3. Flowers positioned above the foliage.

4. Upright and mounded plant habit.

5. Freely branching habit.

6. Dark green leaves.

Compared to plants of the commercial New Guinea Impatiens cultivar Timor, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,144, plants of the new Impatiens have larger and more rounded flowers. Compared to plants of the cultivar HWD Bourree, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,742, plants of the new Impatiens have larger and more intense orange-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actual colors of the new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duerior’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Duerior has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures about 18° C. and light levels generally about 4,500 lux. Plants used in the photograph and description were about 14 weeks old.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Duerior.

Parentage:

Male parent.—Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as D8, not patented.

Female parent.—Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as D0/39, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots—Summer: About 10 days at 22° C. Winter: About 12 days at 22° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—Summer: About 21 days at 22° C. Winter: About 24 days at 22° C.

Rooting habit.—Numerous, freely branching and thick.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Upright and mounded. Appropriate for 10 to 15-cm containers.

Growth and branching habit.—Very freely branching with about 18 lateral branches at the base, dense and bushy growth. Pinching, that is, removal of the terminal apices, is tyically not required. Moderate growth rate.

Crop time.—From an unrooted cutting, about 14 weeks are required to produce a finished flowering plant in a 12 or 13-cm container.

Plant height.—About 20 cm.

Plant spread.—About 28 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 10.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 to 5.2 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Color: 183B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate or in whorls, simple. Quantity of leaves per lateral branch: About 7. Length: About 8.6 cm. Width: About 3.3 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrulate with ciliation. Texture: Rough. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 131A. Young foliage, lower surface: 131C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 131A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 131C. Venation, upper surface: 139C. Venation, lower surface: 53A. Petiole: Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.1 mm. Color: 53A.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Large single dark orange flowers; freely flowering. Usually about 3 to 4 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch and about 54 flowers and flower buds on a mature plant. Flowers positioned above the foliage and typically face outward to upward. Flowers generally flat and rounded. Flowers last about 15 to 18 days on the plant depending on temperature and weather conditons. Flowers self-cleaning. Flowers not fragrant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall. Flowering intermittent.

Flower diameter.—About 6.8 cm.

Flower depth.—About 3.4 cm.

Flower buds—Rate of opening: From showing color to fully open flower, typically about 3 days depending on temperature. Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 9.5 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 45A to 45C.

Petals.—Quantity: Single, five per flower. Length: About 2.8 cm. Width: About 3.7 cm. Shape: Obcordate. Apex: Emarginate to cordate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth; shiny. Color: When opening, upper surface: 33A. When opening, lower surface: 32B. Fully opened, upper surface: 33A; fading to 40A. Fully opened, lower surface: 32A.

Spur.—Length: About 5.1 cm. Color: 53A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to angled outwardly. Color: 53A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: 5. Anther shape: Oval. Anther size: About 6 mm. Anther color: 38A. Amount of pollen: Moderate to abundant. Pollen color: 158B. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About 7.8 mm. Stigma color: 137C. Ovary color: 144A.

Disease resistance: Resistance to known pathogens of New Guinea Impatiens has not been observed.

Seed development: Seed production has not been observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant 